Elevating your home exterior is all in the details, and exterior window shutters are an excellent place to start.
ALISON GOOTEE;Styling by Dakota Willimon dock seals
If you find yourself driving by adorable houses, window-shopping for inspiration and thinking, "I wish I could do that to my house." Good news: You can! Elevating your home exterior is all in the details, and exterior window shutters are an excellent place to start.
If you've been looking for ways to add curb appeal to your home without an expensive add-on or an entire exterior coat of paint, installing beautiful, interesting, and strategic window shutters is a simple way to add character and curb appeal. Painting your existing exterior window shutters is also a low-cost way to add curb appeal to your house. Bright shutter colors like aqua, red, green, and even purple will completely transform your home, as will more neutral hues when used right. Next time you drive through a beautiful neighborhood, keep your eyes on the road because we’ve got all the exterior inspiration you need. These colorful shutters are the easiest (and cutest!) way to achieve enviable curb appeal.
Add shutters to either side of your front door for interest. “We recommend that shutters be functional so they’re scaled properly,” explains Leigh Misso, owner of River Brook Design & Construction in Birmingham. While you can use various paint colors for contrast, here the shutters are all same shade (Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak, OC-20), which is a bit darker than the siding (Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, OC-17).
DANE TASHIMA; Styling: PAGE MULLINS
This mid-1960s Richmond, Virginia home strikes the perfect balance between a historical and fresh feel thanks to the white painted brick paired with almost-black deep gray shutters.
Bright turquoise shutters will make an all-white beach house stand out without looking cheesy. Paint the door the same color of turquoise for added cohesiveness. Pair it with a few palm trees, and you've got yourself a seaside oasis!
If you only have shutters on the upstairs windows, you have an ideal opportunity to add a little color without going overboard. This technique will add a sprinkle of color to your house. Tip: add a little decor, like these plant pots, to the porch and lower portion of the house, to bring the color down and throughout.
When selecting shutters, there's a number of styles to choose from. These panel shutters remind us of wall moulding that you might find inside in a living or dining room.
For an understated, classic look, keep your door neutral and just paint the shutters. The shutters will act as a colorful border to the entryway. This will add the color you desire while insuring the house has a traditional feel.
Want the best curb appeal on the block? It may be as simple as adding some flowers underneath your shutters. Find a plant stand and coordinating pots to really make it pop.
Paint your house and shutters white for a fresh look. It's a classic choice that will give you the best modern farmhouse. Add pops of color in your decor and landscaping to really take advantage of the all-white exterior.
Colorful shutters work on any architecture, even classic, old-school homes. Choose a deep forest green to instantly give an earthy feel to your home. Plus, any plants in your landscape will be brought out by the green shutters.
Painting the garage door the same hue as the shutters will tie the exterior of your home together. Adding a bit of style to something like a garage door that typically can go overlooked, can make your exterior shine. Continue this trend of matching colors to your doors around the house, and even your mailbox.
If you have window boxes, paint them the same color as the shutters for a bolder look. If you don't have window boxes, add them for instant charm. Plant some bright-colored flowers in them for an instant boost of happiness to your exteriors.
Want to ensure your house gets some passerby attention? Get a little creative with your color selection. The shutters, the house, the front door, and the trim can all be painted a bold color and look fabulous.
French door shutters add so much character. Painting them your favorite color will leave you smiling every time you walk through your doors. Furthermore, adding french door shutters will elongate your space, and create an illusion of height.
Even the smallest shutters add curb appeal when they're painted a bright color. Match them to the doors, and voila! You've got yourself the cutest cottage on the block.
Why stop at the shutters when you can incorporate the color throughout your homes exterior? Large urns or porch furniture that coordinates with your painted shutters give your home an instant put-together look. Everything from the color of flowers you use to the chairs can be purchased in colors that are complementary to your shutter color.
Create a soft look by adding pastel shutters, like these pale blue ones, to your house. They will soften the look of your house and lessen the intensity, while bringing a beautiful new shade to your exterior that will be sure to acrue compliments. Match the shutters to your flowers for a little extra touch of curb appeal magic. Just think of how beautiful blue hydrangeas would look with this home.
ALISON GOOTEE;Styling by Dakota Willimon
While you may be skeptical and think black shutters might darken your home, they can actually make your exterior pop with the great contrast it adds to light-colored houses. We love how these black shutters look against this beautiful white farmhouse. The black adds a bit of elegance, and gives the home an all-around classic feel.
Choose a color for your shutters that pops with your house color, but doesn't overwhelm the eye. Here, we've got a classic white house that was done justice with these classic turquoise shutters. Paint the front door the same color to really add some charm.
The shutters on this chic, white home are painted the same color as the house exterior. Instead of becoming a focal point, this design decision maintains that these subtle shutters are a lovely detail of the home rather than the thing that's going to catch your eye.
Choose shutters to suit each window you intend to bestow them on; They don't need to be all the same. Here, two neighboring windows receive different treatment. The tops of both look the same, but the right window has a surprise. This longer window is given a double shutter reminiscent of Dutch doors.
Dark shutters look stunning on this stone-front home, but they serve an even greater purpose: creating cohesion between the main home and the guest house. The same shutters on both buildings implements a sense of unity that makes the property feel complete.
Looking at this large, rustic set of window shutters, we can't help but be reminded of barnyard doors, a favorite design element of ours that's usually reserved for Modern Farmhouse interiors. Go the extra mile by matching your shutters to the gutters like this home, too.
Consider shutters your chance to spruce up your home. Opt for a simple, classic shape, or try something more unique like these classy cutouts that reveal a touch of the home's primary exterior paint color.
Why limit yourself to just one shutter color? Go bold like this home that takes advantage of the wide world of shutter opportunities, opting for green on the door and a light gray on the windows.
Like colors, there's no need to choose just one shutter shape or style. Here, the first level is bedecked with arched shutters to suit rounded windows. Up top, rectangular shutters are grace second-story windows beautifully.
Take cues from Mother Nature and paint your shutters a light green that matches with your lawn or garden. Choose the specific shade that matches your greenery to make your home an extension of the earth.
Would you like to make even more of an impact? Look no further than matching your windows’ sills to their shutters. It's this kind of exterior that makes people stop and say, "I'd like to live there one day." For a special touch, coordinate the paint color of the roof, too.
Not every home needs shutters on every single exterior door and window. Rather than diving straight in and shuttering every possible opening, experiment with leaving some bare. Here, shutters on the door stand out all the more because they're the only ones in sight.
Southerners can't help but love a nice screened-in porch. If you've got one of these plus a lovely set of shutters, you can bet that your home will be the envy of all passers-by.
Lovers of embellishment need not settle for less on their shutters. Simple board and panel shutters will never go out of style, but these patterned ones are undeniably exciting.
Use shutters to make your home appear even more welcoming. These off-white shutters warm up an otherwise cool-toned exterior in a way that has us craning our necks for a second look as we drive past.
vehicle restraints Nothing boosts curb appeal like indoor-outdoor living. Adopt a series of shutter doors that can open up a room, expanding it seamlessly to the outside. This works especially well if you have a porch or patio right there that can be incorporated into your new hybrid room.